On this great national holiday, I give heartfelt thanks for the family of Freemasonry and the manifold gifts it offers. The women and men who support this great institution help promote the peace of mutual understanding and productive labor within the hearts of men at work for a better life, one only increasingly true to the designs of the Great Architect of the Universe.
The wives, partners, mothers, sons and daughters, aunts, sisters, girlfriends, brothers, fathers, uncles, grandfathers –the biological and chosen families of...

“Ohh. Uhhhhh. Not another one.” It was the response of an important member of the staff of the House of the Temple in Washington, D.C. on being handed a new book. Not an unusual response from most serious people working in Masonry when they are forced to think about books on the hidden Masonic meanings of the streets of D.C. Indeed, this topic is a lively one at the House of Temple, maybe because the building itself is frequently a focus for such books. In addition, as the Librarian showed this new book to her, this female staff member’s...

Dear Brethren All:
We are a lucky few to know and love our country with the aid and support of each other and the beautiful institution of Freemasonry. May this Fourth of July bring you and your loved ones the many joys and pleasures of a family of men and brothers free to find in each day a labor love.
Among us on this great holiday, like every day we work along side our brothers, are the heroes, men and women, of today and most surely the pilgrims of tomorrow. Let today be a day of celebration of the gifts bestowed upon us,...

The information age, fueled by advances in technology, is dramatically changing the way people live. More to the point, it impacts the way Freemasons maintain their membership and run their lodges. For our communications and our programs, timeliness of content is not enough. In, 2012 as a result of the continuing information revolution, our audiences have well defined preferences for the manner and mode of communications generally, and electronic communications especially.

“When the Lord closes a door, somewhere He opens a window,” a friend reminded me this week. Endings and beginnings touch each other in ways that highlight the energies that drive and guide our lives. Sometimes life seems to move too quickly or too slowly. Other times we wonder why certain events happen in the timing and sequence they do. Nothing recently has so dramatically underscored this mysterious hint at the grand design than this lodge’s preparation for the end of one Masonic year and the beginning of a new one.
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Born in 1888 to one of the oldest and most distinguished families in the history of Virginia, Richard Byrd seemed destined for fame. First, Byrd sought a career in the U.S. Navy and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy. However, a series of injuries made it difficult for Byrd to serve as a naval officer at sea, where long watches were required. In 1916, Byrd retired from the Navy, but the advent of World War I returned him into active service.
Byrd was particularly interested in the new...